Black Messiah Vs. To Pimp A Butterfly

[Hayden]

I'm not really one for making these sort of threads, because comparing albums usually seems quite silly to me (there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to just love both), but this is something that genuinely interested me. Which of these two albums does BEA prefer?

In a sense, I think that they're extremely comparable albums. For one, they're both excellent and came out within sheer weeks of each other. Lyrically they both deal with similar subjects and tackle current issues. Both albums are the artists 3rd full-length, this time bringing a larger instrumentation to the table, and very few direct features.

Considering The Black Messiah technically came out in 2014, I don't think it's going to be in consideration for many of the upcoming year-end lists. Personally, I don't know if I could pick between the two. At times I listen to TPAB and think to myself "there's no way anything the year is better than this", but then I listen to Black Messiah and I'm overwhelmed by its masterfulness. It's next to flawless in execution and originality.

If you guys had to, which one do you put over the other?
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[Satie]

I like To Pimp a Butterfly well enough. It's lost a lot of its sheen for me since it first dropped. Really not a lot of replay value there, especially that fucking terrible last track. I never was a big fan of Black Messiah at all, though I've come to be able to get into the stray bit here or there. Vote goes to TPaB for me.

[Norman Bates]

It's been something I've been reflecting on a lot earlier in the year: how prominent Black artists of every genre were trying to release 'Great Black Music' albums that tried to find some relevance into issuing music that was both very respectful of their forefathers (and had tinges of every "Black" style that had come before them: blues, jazz, soul, funk, 80s and 90s hip-hop) and very aware that we're in '15 and the music must be relevant to today - in the process therefore making albums that necessarily comment on the history of Black people in the U.S.A. in one way or another. I am tempted to draw a parallel with how I feel about American literature these days, viz. that every writer is trying to write that Great American Novel - and, in a way, that every American novel is a novel about America first and foremost. A lot of records from Black artists that I listened to this year seemed to be about the history of Black people in America through their music - Great Black Music.

I was toying (you might say rambling) with this idea a while ago, adding to the two LPs you are mentioning Hayden, the likes of Matana Roberts' Coin Coin series, Kamasi Washington's The Epic, possibly Dam-Funk's latest, possibly others? Of course this led me nowhere, but I'm all the more interestd in this as, Matana aside, these albums generally fail to wholly convince me, and I would like to know why, and I would like to know if this "trend" I feel (and which is probably not even there tbh, or some sort of wishful thinking or whatnot?) is going to go on.

tl;dr of course, and I'm voting for Kendrick.

[FlorianJones]

Here I was glad I don't have to compare the two because they are from different years, and then you post this thread. To start off, both albums are easy album of the year choices for me, so I love them both immensely. If I'm really to pick, I'd say To Pimp a Butterfly. It just screams "masterpiece" at me. Everything about it is exactly what needs to be said in America today. Also, it's just full of impeccable musicianship front to back. Of course, Black Messiah has all of that going for it as well, but I've never quite connected with it lyrically like I have with TPAB. Although, that may just be because I actually have to pull out the lyric sheet to know what D'Angelo is saying and I don't with Kendrick. In the end, I think they are both made stronger by the release proximity, and they both belong in the top ten of this decade, but I have to say Kendrick by a nose.
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[Puncture Repair]

Giving the point to my boy D'angelo.

Black Messiah may well be my favourite album of the last five years, it's so unlike anything else I've heard, even from D'angelo. It's fresh and funky, unpredictable, and totally fuelled on feeling. I love albums that are unique, yet still invoke a sense of nostalgia in you. Scientifically I don't know how that's possible, but I love it.

I've been warming a lot more to TPAB the last few months, but I'm still unsure about it (or at least whether it's better or not than GKMC). The first few and last few songs are really strong, but I feel it dips in the middle where the songs are a little more experimental maybe, and just come across as less memorable, so I find it hard to care for them. The album also dips into Pop Rap territory a little too often for my personal taste, but I totally respect Kendrick's choice to take it in that direction.

[craola]

i'm in the black messiah boat. both great albums, but i find black messiah more consistent throughout, and that "dick ain't free" nonsense is so middle school it makes me nauseous. at the time of their respective releases, i would've flopped the other way on this vote, but one has grown on me while the other has lost a lot of its shimmer.
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[alelsupreme]

Black Messiah was alright. TPAB was astounding. Gonna go with Kendrick.

[Hayden]

I should also point out that The Black Messiah is higher in our overall decade chart by several positions.

That being said, To Pimp A Butterfly is far lower than it should be There's some utter shit that shows up before it.
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[Applerill]

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